


A Soldier on Her Own

by Enlightened_Introvert



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Health Issues, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:33:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29738790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enlightened_Introvert/pseuds/Enlightened_Introvert
Summary: In the aftermath of her shattering, Jasper must decide how she will move on. Told from alternating perspectives.
Relationships: Amethyst & Jasper (Steven Universe)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	A Soldier on Her Own

“You guys, I love you, but you can't help me anymore. I've been avoiding the only people in the entire universe who can. Please, don't follow me. You too, Jasper. Find something better to do with your life.”

Garnet pressed her palm against the light barrier Steven had placed between them. “Steven! Remember, we’ll always be your family,” she called to him urgently.

The warp pad activated in a burst of light and just like that, he was gone again. The light barrier remained for some time afterwards, as they stared at the empty warp pad in stunned silence, Garnet’s cryptic message hanging in the air. Missing for days, only to reappear with Jasper under mysterious circumstances, and now this, it was, for lack of better words, concerning. No one knew what to think of the situation, much less how they should proceed from there, but one thing was for certain: Steven was not in his right mind, and Jasper had something to do with it.

Amethyst was the first to come to her senses, as she pushed past Garnet toward Jasper. “What happened?” She questioned with a hard glare. Jasper didn’t even acknowledge her, eyes still glued to the spot that Steven had occupied a moment before. Her expression was unreadable. Pearl, roused by the exchange, took up the space beside her, prepared for a fight. Emboldened and angry, Amethyst shouted, “what did you do?!”

To everyone’s surprise, Jasper flinched and backed away. As concerned as Amethyst was for Steven, she couldn’t help but notice some noticeable change had overcome her old tormentor since they last met. She’d never seen Jasper look so distraught, so defensive. Even as she shifted to anger, she could see confusion and fear plainly written in expression. And there was something else, something not quite right…

“I didn’t—!” Jasper retorted, then stopped, then continued with growing frustration. “He—he’s reaching his…you wouldn’t understand! You’re just holding him back! He doesn’t need—!” She trailed off with a growl, pulling at her hair angrily, hiding her face.

Pearl reached for her gem. “You better start explaining, or I’ll—”

“Let’s not be so hasty,” Garnet cut in, verbally and physically as she got between them. She flashed her shades significantly. “I’d like to avoid a fight if we can help it. It’s what Steven would want.” A note of sadness entered her voice. “I don’t foresee any danger in his future for the time being, but I fear that Jasper has led him down the wrong path. Is that true?”

She didn’t respond at first. “He came to _me_ and he asked for _my_ help,” she finally replied, slow and deliberate, dark and bitter. “Is that such a crime?”

Jasper stood a little taller, composing herself but still refusing to look at the others. She looked equal parts defiant and utterly defeated, standing there alone. Among the multitude of feelings Amethyst was still trying to process in that moment, she couldn’t help but feel a little bad for her. Most of all, she was struck by Jasper’s honesty in that moment; it always seems to come out at the most surprising of times.

Without another word, Jasper left. No one tried to stop her. A moment later, the light barrier disappeared, leaving them with a choice to make: to follow Steven, or to give him the space he desired. They ultimately decided that he was safe on Homeworld with the Diamonds, and that he would return home when he was ready. They didn’t need future vision to know that they would learn the truth sooner rather than later, and it wasn’t worth trying to force it out of Jasper at any rate. Still, even as they worried and waited for Steven, Amethyst couldn’t get the thought of Jasper out of her head.


End file.
